Thief
by your'dearest'Ophelia
Summary: Hyuuga women commit crimes to Hyuuga men, leaving an intrigued Hanabi to investigate...A touch of Neji and Hinata on the side.


**Summary:** Hyuuga women have the tendency to steal from their Hyuuga male counterparts. NejiHina… no lemons.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto—not mine.

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**THIEF**

Hanabi have never really seen her mother in person. It was only in old photographs where she gets a chance to see what her mother looks like.

Pale skin.

Soft long dark hair, indigo to be exact.

Affectionate smile.

Tantalizing yet tender eyes.

Hanabi swore she had seen all these in one person. In one person who happened to be Hinata.

During her free time, Hanabi would always look through her family's old photo book which she kept hidden under her bed. There are so many pictures but her most favorite are the ones where her parents are together. Her father would be _smiling_ a very pleasant and warm smile in these particular photos.

As far as Hanabi is concerned, her father is incapable of doing such action, at least not in real life.

There were times when Hanabi had badly wanted to see her father smiling the same smile he had in the pictures that she had seen. It was impossible.

No matter what she does he'll never smile. And although it wasn't in Hanabi's nature to give up, she accepted the fact that some battles can never be won. She can't get everything she wants, no matter how simple it was. As simple as a smile.

It's not like Hiashi never smiles. He smiles at his daughters every once in a while especially when they have impressed him in training. It just wasn't what Hanabi was looking for. What he gives to Hinata and her was more like a fatherly smile. Not as pleasant as the ones she found in old pictures.

It didn't take long for Hanabi to realize that those long-been-gone pleasant smiles of her father have only belonged to her mother. And it doesn't take a genius to realize that Hanabi's mother had long been gone, taking away Hiashi's smiles along with her. Her mother had stolen her father's smile.

The thought of her mother doing such a thing disheartened Hanabi.

_Stealing is a crime. _

But Hanabi couldn't hate her. She doesn't even _know_ her. Not like how Hiashi or Hinata have known her. And it wasn't probably her mother's intentions to just die after giving birth to another child, leaving Hiashi alone with two daughters and a whole disoriented clan to take care of.

After pondering for a few weeks about smiles and her parent's past relationship, Hanabi figured that it was about time to dismiss her self-inflicted argument. It was getting pointless anyway.

Some time later, Hanabi found her self sitting at the porch, watching as her sister and her cousin engage themselves in a spar. She reckons that it would be a good idea to observe how they fight and maybe learn from them.

Hanabi marveled at how much her sister resembled her mother especially with the long indigo hair that she has been sporting for the past years. She also marveled at how much her stoic cousin resembled her father.

She felt as if her parents are right in front of her. As if her dead mother has come alive and her cold father has invited her for a dance.

Her objective for being there has suddenly been forgotten. For some reason, Hanabi can't stop watching them.

Instead of picking up techniques from how they fight, Hanabi ended up just watching them and acknowledging the fact that _they look good together_ no matter what they are doing.

Sure they were sparring but to Hanabi's ten year old eyes they were dancing. Their movements were flawless and enticing.

But then, Hinata lost her balance, breaking the whole routine. Neji grabs her hand just before she falls to the ground.

When Hinata was back to her feet, she utters an apology followed by a "Thank you, Neji-niisan." And then she tilted her head to the side and gave him that sweet gentle smile of hers. Just like what she always does.

Almost as fast as how Neji catches Hinata from her fall, he did something that made Hanabi believe that her prayers have been answered.

Neji returned Hinata's smile. He smiled.

A smile as sweet and gentle as Hinata's smile.

It was the same smile that Hanabi had seen in the pictures of her father.

It was what she had been coaxing out of her father a few weeks before but failing in doing so.

It was the same pleasant and warm smile that her father formerly owns but had clearly belonged to her mother.

And Neji's smile only belonged to Hinata. It has her name written all over it.

Hanabi's thoughts were distracted when two people and a dog arrived, calling Hinata's attention and telling her that they were needed at the Hokage's office right away.

Hinata nodded and excused herself from her cousin, thanking him once again. Neji was still smiling when he told her to go ahead.

When Hinata turned towards her teammates, Hanabi saw how Neji's smile was slowly fading.

It was as if Hinata was holding an invisible string which connected her from Neji's smile. Each step she would take, Neji's smile would ever so slowly fade. Until his lips settled into a thin line and all that is left is his longing for her to return to him right away.

At that point, Hanabi knew that Neji loves Hinata more that what Hinata is asking for but she rightfully deserves it.

Hanabi returned to her room with a feeling of contentment inside of her. What she had seen didn't bother her it in fact answered all her questions.

Her mother had stolen something more than just a smile from her father. And Hinata had apparently inherited that trait of stealing. She too had stolen something from Neji. Something more than just a smile.

Hyuuga women have the tendency to steal from their Hyuuga male counterparts.

But in reality the Hyuuga men are more than willing to give their hearts to their Hyuuga female counterparts, until their hearts didn't seem to be stolen anymore.

Before she goes to bed, Hanabi wonders if she would grow up to be a thief as well.

_I watch you spin around in the highest heels  
You are the best one, of the best ones  
We all look like we feel _

_You have stolen my  
You have stolen my heart_

_-Dashboard Confessional's "Stolen"_

_**END**_

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**Author's note:** I'm not sure how my story and the song "Stolen" is all related but it's my favorite song and it inspired me to write this so…uhm…??? Also, no one knows what Mrs. Hyuuga looks like but since Hinata looks nothing like Hiashi (except for the eyes of course) I assume she got her physical traits from the mother side. And yeah, I portrayed Hanabi as a NejiHina fangirl because Hyuugacest just makes us happy…especially me! XD 


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